The hits just keep coming for Trump and the DOJ. First, a trial court, based on what appears to be a solid record, found that the military violated the Posse Comitatus Act with some of its activities in Los Angeles. This is a narrow, fact-based ruling that won’t keep Trump from sending troops to other cities, but it should have an impact on what they do there. Second, the D.C. Circuit found that the record did not support the firing of an FTC commission for “cause,” which should help Lisa Cook and some other independent agency members. Third, the D.C. Circuit also upheld a lower court decision invalidating most of Trump’s tariffs. Finally–and this one really has to hurt–the staunchly conservative Fifth Circuit ruled that the Alien Enemies Act could not be applied to alleged members of foreign drug cartels.
Not that Trump will care much about any of this. He has already made it clear that he only considers himself bound by the decisions of “his” Supreme Court; even Fifth Circuit decisions don’t count. Whether he will actually comply with a Supreme Court order he dislikes is very much up in the air.